KIEV, December 13. /ITAR-TASS/. The peaceful rallies demonstrate that Ukraine is a free democratic country, founder of the System Capital Management Rinat Akhmetov said on Friday.

“Ukraine is not going to skip the road, and this is very good,” he added.

However, in this “moment, complicated for the country, it is very important to have cold minds and balanced approaches. To put it in a nutshell, common sense should be above all,” the businessman said.

He stressed he supported the idea of negotiations between the authorities and the opposition.

“I am for negotiations. So that politicians, the power, the opposition, the country’s moral leaders made a decision, we could be proud of. I mean to be proud, not to be ashamed. A decision, from which will benefit Ukraine and every Ukrainian both short-term, mid-term and long-term,” Akhmetov said. “I would call that negotiations table a peace table, a table of compromise and this country’s future.”

“Even if politicians lose their ratings at that table. What matters is that Ukraine’s rating is growing,” the businessman added. “I am for strong, independent and indivisible Ukraine. We are one country, and we should not divide it.”

Rinat Akhmetov is president of the Shakhtar football club (Donetsk), founder of the Effective Management Foundation and of the Ukraine’s Development Charity Foundation. Bloomberg reports his wealth is $22.3 billion in the current year (26th position in the international rating).